As photographers, we are bombarded by information from all directions on a daily basis, and it can be tricky to know how to cut through it all to the advice that really matters. Whether you are a professional or a hobbyist, if you want some important lessons that will put you on the right track to finding success and satisfaction in the craft of photography, check out this fantastic video essay that discusses such ideas.

I remember vividly in July of 2019 when Skylum announced Luminar 4, software that featured Sky Replacement. A ho-hum feature for some, it was seen as a major gift by many photographers who wanted an easy way to replace a bland or cloudless sky.

Sometimes a tripod just needs to be easier to carry for when you might need it. This tripod from SmallRig definitely fits that role.

With everything photographers are bombarded by these days, it can be easy to confuse what you want versus what you need. This excellent video essay features an experienced photographer discussing a range of things modern photographers often want versus the things that will actually make them better and happier creatives.

How much clutter is there in your life? Don’t you wish that your photography gear was better than what you have? Now is a great time to change that situation with a little help from MPB.

The way you see light and the way your camera sees light are quite different, and as such, it is important to understand the differences to ensure you get the correct exposure and to be able to anticipate when your camera might get it wrong. This great video tutorial discusses how cameras meter photos, what to be aware of, and when you should consider switching to manual metering.

It used to be that you would generally have to choose an APS-C or full frame camera to ensure reasonable levels of image quality and performance in all scenarios, but in recent years, we have seen significant advancements in the capabilities of small cameras, and they now make for excellent options for a wide range of applications. Along with that, they offer a nice gamut of advantages over their bigger cousins. This helpful video tutorial offers five tips for getting the most out of smaller cameras.

The more I see AI churn out headshots and portraits with twisted appendages and those weird, dead eyes, the less I'm sweating about artificial presences taking over the photography world. Why fight AI when you can make it work for you? So, instead of pushing it away, I've started using AI tools in my day-to-day. It's not replacing my job; it's just handling the mundane stuff.

Landscape photography is an art that requires skill, creativity, and an understanding of the natural environment. While beginners can capture stunning images, seasoned professionals have honed their craft over the years and mastered some advanced techniques. In this article, we will explore five landscape photography tricks that only pros know.

Backlighting in portraiture offers a huge range of creative possibilities, whether adding a bit of shimmer to your subject's hair, including a dramatic sunset in the frame, or one of many other options. However, the use of backlighting takes some special considerations to ensure you get the results you have in mind. This helpful video tutorial will show you what you need to know to maximize your image quality.

Waterfalls are an extremely popular photography subject, particularly since they offer the chance to really flex our creative muscles and make dynamic, compelling shots. If you would like to take your waterfall images to the next level, check out this fantastic video tutorial by an experienced landscape photographer that walks you through his process and offers a range of helpful tips and advice along the way.

How many smartphone photography tools have you purchased and eventually misplaced or have forgotten about? Maybe these cleverly designed accessories will serve you better.

Perhaps no lens is ubiquitous than the 24-70mm f/2.8, which is the workhorse of choice for countless photographers and filmmakers due to how adept it is at handle a huge range of genres and applications. That being said, it is far from the only such choice. One intriguing choice is that 24-105mm f/4, and this great video discusses why you might want to consider one for your work.

One of the classic challenges of photography is bringing a sense of depth to what is a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional scene. Understanding how to manipulate both color and contrast in post-processing can go a long way in helping you achieve this. This awesome video tutorial will show you how to use tools in Lightroom to give your landscape images a sense of depth.

I love all types of documentaries, and I think it's very important that artists and photographers educate themselves on the past greats and present ones working today. I watch documentaries on photography, fashion, art, and anything else I find interesting. It’s an education coming from a very successful person in that field that everyone can learn from, and I find them to be very inspirational. When I don’t feel inspired or I'm frustrated with things not working out for me, I put on a photography or artist doc and learn about their past struggles and their process that they go through. It’s always a great way to remind myself that everything is going to workout and to create that crazy idea.

PhotoPills might be the most popular app for planning photoshoots. However, there is another feature-rich app that can do even more. In this video, Alyn Wallace shows the app Planit Pro and some of its unique features.

Astrophotography can be one of the most stunning and magical genres of photography, as you watch wonders of the universe that are invisible to the naked eye appear on your camera screen. It is also one of the most technically challenging photography genres, but your practice and patience will be rewarded. If you are ready to get started, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you the basics of wide field astrophotography.

Judging by my title, you'll be shocked to know that I have always been a Canon loyalist. From learning with the Canon A-1 inherited from my grandmother in 1999, to the latest mirrorless models, I have been a devoted customer and an advocate of the brand for over two decades. That is, until the Canon EOS R5. The Canon R5 is where my bond to the brand was systematically dismantled as the hardware itself did.

The difference between image quality and quality images is significant, and yet, they are two things that are often confused for one another. It is crucial that we maintain clarity about which is which and how to improve each individually. This excellent video essay features an experienced photographer discussing the topic and offering some insightful advice.

If you've ever yearned after a medium format camera, you might wonder what the difference between them is, particularly when they're both 100 megapixels. Well, here's a showdown.

If you are new to photography, it can be a little overwhelming trying to learn how to edit images with all the tools at your disposal. Nonetheless, one of the most common post-processing tasks you will have to tackle is fixing an overexposed or underexposed photo. This helpful video tutorial features a seasoned Lightroom pro showing you how to do just that.

You can work tirelessly on developing strong technique and nurturing your creative voice, but if you do not know when you have taken a good photo, it can all be for naught. Evaluating your own work can be trickier than you might think, but it is a crucial skill to develop, whether you are an amateur or a professional. This helpful video tutorial offers a range of actionable advice on how to do just that.

A basic understanding of the physics of light can help us to achieve the best possible photographic results. Here are some very simplified explanations of how what we learned in school science lessons can affect what we do with our cameras.

Knowing how to confidently and efficiently pose couples is an absolutely crucial skill for any engagement or wedding photographer, and yet, posing is one of the trickiest skills that often takes photographers the longest to master. If you find yourself struggling a bit with posing, check out this helpful video tutorial that offers some great tips sure to put you on the right track.

Having a few simple lighting setups available at your disposal is one of the most important tricks any photographer can have up their sleeve. In this post, I'm going to share with you six of my favorite lighting setups for wedding photographers, but really any photographer can use these simple tips.

Sometimes, the simplest ideas can create some really cool images. Here’s how I created a fun and colorful DIY photoshoot backdrop for less than $25.

Portrait photographers love a medium telephoto lens with good bokeh, and for most modern lenses, good bokeh means producing creamy, featureless backgrounds that allow total focus on the subject. But what is the bokeh has a character all its own? That is what TTArtisan is aiming for with the "Bubble Bokeh" lens, and this excellent video review takes a look at if its cheap price and interesting rendering make it a winner.

Mastering shutter speed, aperture, and ISO is crucial as a new photographer. Doing so will not only give you technical control over your images, but will enable you to explore creative ideas that help you develop your unique photographic voice. This awesome video tutorial will give you a useful approach to camera settings to help you take precise control over your photos.

While the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is getting most of the attention at the moment, for those who do not want the footprint of or the cost of a flagship, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 offers quite a nifty experience and a lot of the same benefits at about half the price. How does it hold up in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at the new phone and the sort of performance and experience you will be able to expect from it in usage.

Being asked to work for free can be a frustrating experience for photographers who have invested years of hard work and dedication to master their craft. In a time where equipment and running costs are so high, it has never been so important to politely decline requests to work for free.

Cameras used to use glass plates and flash used to be controlled explosions. Thankfully, we've embraced the relative safety introduced to the photographic process with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, but can we say the same for AI?

As we progress as photographers, we accumulate more and more images in our catalogs, and it can be easy for old photos to become buried deep on hard drives, left to be forgotten about. But there can be a lot of value in revisiting old shots, and you find even find treasure hidden in those old folders. This great video tutorial shows you what you can accomplish when you apply modern techniques and improved skills to older shots.

Modern lenses are quite remarkable devices, and they often allow you to shoot at extremely wide apertures with little consequence in image quality, making it easy to fall into the habit of just leaving your lens at that maximum aperture for all your images. That can be a mistake, though, and it can make your work overly one-dimensional. This excellent video essay discusses some of the many reasons you might want to consider stopping down the next time you head out.

In the world of filmmaking, quality often comes with a hefty price tag. But Sirui's latest offering — a trio of cine lenses designed for super 35 sensors — challenges this narrative. Affordable yet robust, these lenses offer impressive capabilities that can benefit both novices and seasoned professionals.

Tilt-shift lenses are considered standard equipment for architectural photography, allowing you to correct common geometric issues to ensure your images both realistic and of the highest possible quality. But with modern cameras and software, do you really need a tilt-shift lens, or can you get by using other techniques? This excellent video discusses the issue to help you decide.

Supertelephoto zoom lenses are remarkably versatile, making them well suited for a huge range of applications. In recent years, we have seen a real boom in more affordable options that offer great performance and image quality at prices that make them far more accessible. One such option is the Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VXD, and this excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from it in usage.

Filip Majerčík, a diverse Slovak photographer, shares his incredible project that has taken six years to complete over 50 trips, resulting in 3 TB of data to process. His passion and dedication capture his country’s beauty from a sensitive, awe-inspiring perspective.

The peak of the Perseid meteor shower is due to happen this weekend between the 11th and 13th. The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most impressive displays, with counts of over 100 meteors per hour during the peak. In this video from StarScaper, he goes into further details on how to photograph and edit meteor shower images.

When it comes to landscape photography, rarely is the photo finished the moment you press the shutter; most landscape images require some degree of processing in order to produce a polished product. If you are new to the genre and ready to improve your images, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you the ins and outs of how to edit your first photos.

Knowing what photos work best and worst in different lighting conditions can help us create the best possible photos. Here's how to do it.

We have seen a boom in affordable third-party lenses in recent years, with many of them offering good performance and image quality at prices that significantly undercut those from first-party manufacturers. Viltrox has been one of the manufacturers leading that charge, and the AF 75mm f/1.2 is emblematic of that, offering a nice portrait focal length in tandem with an extremely wide aperture. How does it hold up in practice? This fantastic video review takes a look at what you can expect.

In the modern world of photography, it's easy to be lured into the belief that owning the latest and most expensive gear will automatically elevate your skills as a photographer. However, the truth is far from this misconception. While high-quality equipment can undoubtedly enhance certain aspects of your photography, it is essential to understand that gear alone does not make you a better photographer. In this article, let's delve into the reasons why true photographic prowess lies in the photographer's skill, creativity, and vision rather than the equipment they possess.

In the world of photography, the debate over whether gear truly impacts the quality of a photographer's work has been going for years. Some argue that it is the photographer's skill and vision that matter most, while others firmly believe that having the right gear can significantly elevate one's abilities. This article aims to shed light on the argument that gear does make you a better photographer, by exploring how advanced equipment empowers photographers, enhances creative possibilities, and enables the pursuit of excellence.

Photography has long been regarded as an art form that captures moments, emotions, and memories, preserving them for generations to come. The constantly evolving photography landscape is mostly driven by the advancement of the tools and technologies used to create and deliver photographs. While the art of photography has progressively changed and improved, the way images are developed has not changed much and often lagged behind based on the traditional lab approach.

Flash can sometimes be used to create dramatic, otherworldly portraits whose lighting jumps off the screen, but other times, you want to use flash to mimic the look of natural light. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to use flash for a subtle effect that looks like it was natural light the whole time.